Policy

The Department shall report and track Critical Incidents and Significant Events as a means of maintaining and improving quality of services.

Each Bureau Chief or his/her designee will be responsible for notification of these incidents and events to the Commissioner’s Office, the Bureau Chief of Continuous Quality Improvement, and the Public Information Officer.

Area Directors, Facility Superintendents or designees shall report significant events to the appropriate Bureau Chief(s). These individuals are responsible for notifying the Commissioner’s Office, the Bureau Chief of Continuous Quality Improvement, and the Public Information Officer, based upon their assessment of the event.  

The critical incident and significant event reporting information shall be used by the Department for the purposes of :

•      examining and raising issues of concern regarding quality of care
  
  

•      providing information to the Commissioner’s Office
  
  

•      providing data for the development of Department policy and procedures
  
  

•      analyzing trends and practices.

Definitions

Critical incidents: Critical incidents are those occurrences related to suspected abuse and/or neglect involving:

•       the death of a child
  
  

•       a life-threatening condition
  
  

•       broken bones in a child under six (6) years of age
  
  

•       serious injury including sexual assault (by an adult or child) of a child at a DCF operated facility or an in-state or out-of-state facility, licensed or used by DCF
  
  

•       serious injury, including sexual assault suffered by a child, caused by a person whom the Department has permitted to gain access, including a DCF employee, a licensed foster/adoptive parent, or an employee of a licensed or contracted private provider
  
  

•       a runaway who presents an imminent danger to himself/herself or the community,
  or all runaways under the age of 13.
  
  

Serious injury: Any significant impairment of a person’s physical condition as determined by qualified medical personnel. This includes but is not limited to burns (rug/carpet burns are not considered serious injury), lacerations, bone fractures, substantial hematoma  (severe bruises), and injuries to internal organs, whether self-inflicted or inflicted by someone else.

Significant Events: Other situations that are not considered to be critical incidents but which must be reported by Area Directors and Facility Superintendents, and include but are not limited to the following:

•       abduction of a child in DCF custody or care
  
  

•       an incident involving one or more runaways from one facility or a significant
  disturbance involving a youth at a DCF operated or licensed facility
  
  

•       allegation of a serious crime by an adult authorized by the Department to be responsible for the care of a child (including a DCF employee, licensed foster/adoptive parent, or an employee of a licensed or contracted provider)
  
  

•       allegation of a serious crime by a child or youth in the care or custody of DCF
  
  

•       a serious injury suffered by a DCF employee in the course of his or her duties
  
  

•       a serious threat to a DCF employee in the course of his/her duties resulting in notification to law enforcement (Human Resources Workplace Violence Report)
  
  

•       suicide or serious suicide attempt by a child in DCF custody or care, or a child with an open DCF case
  
  

•       deterioration of care or other important agency function due to some disruption of the physical plant or environment within a DCF licensed, contracted or operated setting (e.g. fire, natural disaster, failure of electronic equipment, other safety conditions, etc.)
  
  

•       any call to 911
  
  

•       any event that may affect the health, welfare or safety of the residents at a DCF licensed, contracted or operated facility, such as:
  

-        strikes

-        major disturbances

-        public health issues

-        bomb threats

•      any event related to the Department that is likely to result in media coverage.

Upon notice of a critical incident or significant event other than a child’s death, the Area Director, Facility Superintendent, or designee, shall take the actions presented in the following table.

Important Note: For procedures to report the death of a child, see "Responsibilities of the Area Director or Facility Superintendent, 34-25-5 and 34-25-6.

After-Hours Reports

If the critical incident occurs after-hours, the Hotline Administrator shall make a judgment as to the need for an immediate response.  

In cases where such a response is necessary, the administrator shall notify the

•  Area Director
  
  

•  Bureau Chief of Continuous Quality Improvement, and
  
  

•  the appropriate Bureau Chief.  
        

These individuals shall determine the need to notify the Commissioner and/or the Public Information Officer.